Over the last couple weeks I have performed a dozen or so employee evaluations. Our annual evaluations and 90 day evaluations include filling out forms and discussing requirements. I evaluate attendance and talk about client satisfaction, but all of this is just a formality. The real job is to connect on a personal level with each Home Care Aide.
Connecting with them means getting to know them, but it also means teaching them our company culture. Our motto is, “Caring is more than kindness, it is skilled and prepared!” One skill that we work on during these evaluations is communication.
Communication is the hardest thing we do, but it is the key to our success. I want our employees to feel like they have been given an opportunity to share their ideas and their concerns. You might think that this would open the dam and a big complaining fest would start, but it didn’t. One at a time I heard them say how thankful they were to be working for a company that cares about them.
I asked each one of these employees the question, “Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?” It was really eye opening to get their responses.. Some are mothers and are looking forward to seeing their children’s growth, others have plans to continue some form of education. Most would like to continue to work for Care N Assist and make a difference in their client’s lives.
I asked them all, “What is your passion?” We put this information on their nametags, so I warned them to keep it simple and honest. All of them had one of two types of responses. First, they were passionate about their kids and families. Second, they loved helping others, and making a difference in their lives.
This article was written mostly just because I was so taken back by the experience. I think we have the best home care aides in the business. As I said one more time this morning… “Be sure to keep up with your monthly in-services.” I thought about how many people our company has touched and helped over the last ten years.
I look forward to writing about some of my favorite experiences over the last ten years in our next publication of the Care N Sider.
Daniel Story, RN, CEO
